Committed to providing free treatment to poor: Akhilesh

The Uttar Pradesh government today announced inclusion of rickshaw-pullers, taxi drivers, weavers and other people reeling under financial crisis, besides people living Below Poverty line (BPl) in the National Health Insurance Scheme. UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav made an announcement in this regard, while inaugurating regional workshop of National Health Insurance Scheme at Indira Gandhi Prathisthan on Friday.

'The situation of poor families becomes more miserable, when they are surrounded by any disease. Hence, the government has decided to cover rickshaw-pullers, taxi drivers, weavers and other labour classes under the scheme,'' Yadav added.

So far, over 58 lakh families of the state have been registered under the scheme, he apprised saying, ''spreading awareness about the scheme among the poor families was the biggest challenge before us.'' Recalling an incident where, a man sold his around 3 acres land here for the treatment of his sister, but still failed to meet all the expenses of the treatment, Yadav said, '' Had he been knowing about the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and its benefit, he would have not faced so much trouble.'' 

''The state government will make all efforts to pass its benefits to the needy,'' he said promisingly. Flaying the previous Mayawati government for not implementing the scheme, that is supported by the Centre, effectively in her regime, the CM alleged that she was only involved in embezzling funds.Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said the state government is leaving no stone unturned in providing better health care facility to the people. While speaking on expansion in number of beneficiaries under the National Health Insurance Scheme, he said State Agency for Comprehensive Health Insurance (Sachi) was facing some difficulties in implementation and solution to the same problems should be found making to the scheme more benefiting and effective. 

UP Health Minister Ahmad Hassan who was also present on the occasion said government aims to create maximum awareness about the scheme. Hasan stated that for making the state government decision of inclusion of rickshaw-pullers, taxi drivers, weavers and other people in NHIS as success the state government has made arrangement of addition budget of Rs 70 crores. Further, he hailed the state government's decisions of accepting the Nimesh Commission's recommendations. He said by making health department more transparent the state government was able to keep a check on corruption prevailing in the health department. While speaking on the free land given for construction of AIIMS in Rae Bareilly he said population in UP is rapidly increasing and need of such institution was much. 

Hasan commended Sachi for the remarkable success they achieved in the NHIS and commended CEO Sachi Alok Kumar as it was due to their efforts that Uttar Pradesh was awarded as the Most Improved State.